Combined cap and  stopper



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I .W'. 13.. ANDREW. GOMBINED GAP AND STOPPEB- Q Patented Aug. 18

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" U ITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

7 .WILLIAM E. ANDREW, OF. ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NEl/V JERSEY.

COMBINED CAP AN D' STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,121, dated August 18, 1896. A lication filed November 2,1895. semi No. 567,748 on model.)

Je all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. ANDREW,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlantic Highlands, in the county of Monmouth and State of New J ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Oom bined Cap and Stopple for Bottles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

that when the stopple was inserted into the mouth of the bottle the cap contacted with the neck thereof.

worn from long-continued use, as where the device is employed in connection with liquorbottles used in bar-rooms. It has also been customary, where the stopple and cap were separate elements, to secure the stopple in place within the cap by means of a circumferential inwardprojecting bead on the cap or by making the stopple hollow and fitting it on a depending teat or projection in the cap. These modes of attachment are both objectionable for lack of security and stability, as the cork is liable to work loose from the bead or from the teat, as the case may be, and thus render the device useless.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome these objections by so securing the stopple to the cap as to render its accidental separation therefrom practically impossible, the means for securing the stopple in place being such as to permit of the replacement of a new stopple for one that is broken or worn out, without the employment of a high order of skill; furthermore, to produce a combined cap and stopple that will effect a secure and complete closure of the mouth of a bottle and at the same time form an ornament thereto; furthermore, to produce a stopple of a configuration that will prevent its being pushed too far down within the neck of the bottle or This is objectionable for the reason that a tight seal between the bot-1 tle and the stopple cannot be effected if the stopple is a little small or if it has become other vessel and which will also protect the mouth of the bottle from injury or breakage a stopple having a teat or projection fitting.

the mouth of the bottle and a flange or shoulder for bearing upon the top of the neck or mouth of the bottle furthermore, in the combination, with a cap, of a stopple secured thereto by a screw connection, the stopple having a teat or projection fitting the mouth of the bottle and a flange or shoulder bearing upon the top of the neck or mouth of the bottle.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated three forms of embodiment of my invention, and in these drawings Figure 1 is a View in vertical transverse section, showing a bottle with my combined cap and stopple in position thereon, the stop- .ple being shown as attached to the top of the cap by means of a centrally-disposed screw,

showing also the stopple formed or provided...

with a teat or projection, constituting the stopple proper, for fitting within the mouth of the bottle, and with an annular portion constituting a flange or shoulder bearing upon the top of the neck of the bottle. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the top of the cap provided with an interiorly-threaded boss which is engaged by the top portion of the stopple, which portion is reduced for this purpose. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the stopple held in place both by the screw shown in Fig. l and the threaded boss shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings and to Fig. 1 thereof, A designates the cap, which may be made of metal or any other suitable material combining lightness and strength, and in any shape desired, but preferably, as shown in this instance, cone-shaped.

B designates the stopple, of cork or'any other suitable substance or composition of matter, and held in place in this instance by a screw 0, which is by preference centrally disposed with relation to the top of the cap, although it is to be understood that, if preferred, a rivet may in some instances be employed in lieu of the screw to effect a secure union between the cap and the stopple. As shown, the screw lies flush, or approximately so, with the top of the cap and is provided with the ordinary nick to be engaged by a screw-driver for seating the screw; but, if preferred, I may have the head of the screw project above the top of the cap and provide it with a knurled or ornamented knob or button, by which the screw may be seated by hand, and thus render the employment of a screw-driver unnecessary.

The stopple is formed or provided with a teat or projection b, constituting the stopple proper, and with an annular portion 17 constituting a flange or shoulder for. bearing upon the top of the neck or mouth of the bottle, and thereby, in conjunction with the stopple 6, effect a perfect closure or seal of the mouth of the bottle.

In addition to the function named, the flange or shoulder b subserves the further functions of preventing the stopple from being pushed too far down into the neck of the bottle when the stopple is used as an ordinary cork without the cap, of forming a shield or guard to protect the mouth of the bottle from injury when being handled or shipped, and of serving as a means for eifecting the removal of the stopple from the bottle, when used simply as a cork, without the employment of a corkscrew. It is to be understood that the form of cork stopple shown may be manufactured and sold separately from the cap, constituting an article of manufacture.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 2 the screw D is dispensed with, and in lieu thereof the top of the cap is provided with a hollow boss a, provided with screw-threads M, which are engaged by a reduced portion 19 of the stopple, by which arrangement the stopple is held securely in place within the cap. In addition to the threads at the cap may be provided with threads (1 (indicated by dotted lines) at the points where the flange 12 contacts with the inner walls of the cap, but ordinarily the latter threads will not be employed.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 3 both the screw 0 and the threads on are employed in order to insure an absolutely certain union between the cap and the stopple, this latter construction being employed only in connection with very large stopples.

If desired, the cap may be made of aluminium and the stopple of cork, wood, or rubber. Cement or other adhesive material may be used to secure the stopple in place in addition to the screw connection.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a cap having the interior of its top provided with means for retaining a stopple in place, of a stopple having a teat or projection to fit within the mouth of a bottle, and a flange or shoulder to bear upon the top of the neck or mouth of a bottle, and a screw passing through the top of the cap and into the stopple, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a cap having its topprovided with a hollow threaded boss, of a stopple having a teat or projection to fit within the mouth of a bottle, a flange or shoulder to bear upon the top of the neck of the bottle, and a reduced portion engaging the threads of the boss, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. ANDREW'.

WVitnesses:

EDWARD OAKES, WILLIAM E. Low. 

